Method and apparatus for encoding transactions for goods and services using an e-receipt

Abstract

A method and apparatus for encoding transactions for goods and services using an e-receipt is provided. A consumer and a merchant conduct a commercial transaction using a distributed data processing system. An electronic receipt is recorded on a removable storage medium at a first data processing system. The electronic receipt contains data concerning the commercial transaction. The removable storage medium is then read at a second data processing system. After validating the electronic receipt, another commercial transaction or another stage of the original commercial transaction may be performed. The electronic receipt may be validated for a warranty claim on goods or services subject to the purchase transaction, and the removable storage medium may be an optical card or a smart card, either of which is able to store thousands of e-receipts and other electronic documents related to a commercial transaction, with the integrity of each guaranteed through digital signature, digital certificate, etc.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present invention is related to application entitled “OPTICAL TRANSACTION CARD”, Ser. No. 09 / 213,912, filed Dec. 17, 1998, assigned to the same assignee, and incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Technical Field[0003]The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and, in particular, to an improved method and apparatus for processing electronic documents used in a commercial transaction.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]A common occurrence in everyday life is the issuance and acceptance of a paper receipt as evidence of a commercial transaction. Such receipts include vouchers, sales slips, signed notices, paid bills, proofs of payment, statements, sales tickets, admittance, and cash register tapes. These items are used almost everywhere to provide a consumer and a merchant with some means of recording a commercial transaction to ensure that rights and responsibilities...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention provides a method and apparatus for encoding transactions for goods and services using an electronic receipt or e-receipt. A consumer and a merchant conduct a commercial transaction using a distributed data processing system. An electronic receipt is recorded on a removable storage medium at a first data processing system. The electronic receipt contains data concerning the commercial transaction. The removable storage medium is then read at a second data processing system. After validating the electronic receipt, another commercial transaction or another stage of the original commercial transaction may be performed. The electronic receipt may be validated for a warranty claim on goods or services subject to the purchase transaction, and the removable storage medium may be an optical card or a smart card, either of which is able to store thousands of e-receipts and other electronic documents related to commercial transactions, with the integrity of each guaranteed through digital signature, digital certificate, etc.

Problems solved by technology

For the consumer, maintaining many receipts over a period of time may be difficult.

The use of paper receipts in this situation creates some minor inconveniences.

If the purchase transaction system is set up so that a lumber yard manager must enter a transaction into an electronic terminal to update the inventory records, and the lumber yard manager fails to do so, then the inventory records will not properly match the actual inventory.

As is familiar to most consumers, the maintenance and transfer of paper receipts for such purposes may be both cumbersome and annoying.

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